#18 Kansas State Men’s Basketball Looks To Rebound Against Texas
By Dave Thoman
Scott Sewell-USA TODAY Sports
After climbing to #11 in the nation, the Wildcats dropped two straight games last week and experienced a subsequent fall to #18 in the country. While three of their four losses have been to top ten teams (#1 Michigan, #2 Kansas, and #8 Gonzaga), a 73-67 loss at Iowa State on Saturday left the team at 15-4 and 4-2 in Big 12 play.
On the other side of the aisle, Texas has been one of the most unimpressive teams in the league this year. The Longhorns (9-10, 1-5) have played hard in the face of a difficult schedule, beating then-number 24 North Carolina, and taking USC, Baylor, and West Virginia to overtime before eventually losing. They also jumped out to a halftime lead against KU before eventually succumbing. However, almost doesn’t count in the win column, and Texas still sits in ninth in the Big 12 basement.
Texas ranks 247th nationally in averaging 64.4 points/game. Expect another rough night for Rick Barnes’ squad as the Wildcats continue to be among the best defensive teams in the country. They rank 20th in scoring defense (58) and 42nd in rebounding margin (+5.4). 14 of their 19 opponents have failed to surpass 65 points, and eight of 19 have failed to surpass 55.
The game will be played in Bramlage, where K-State generally does not lose. Tip-off is scheduled for 7:05 CT and will air on ESPN2.